Every year, the Clifton Park Water Authority implements water conservation measures in the form of odd/even lawn watering restrictions. These measures are in place from May 1st through September 30th and are both sensible to conserve this precious resource and necessary to ensure the CPWA’s ability to provide continuous water service to the 35,000 people who rely on it for drinking water supply.
The odd/even lawn watering restrictions simply mean that houses with odd numbered addresses can water on odd numbered days of the month and even numbered houses can water on even numbered days of the month. Compliance with these regulations by every customer in the CPWA system would all but guarantee that there would be adequate supply for the entire system, without the need to implement further restrictions during extended dry periods.
A lawn does not need to be watered every day to survive. Proper watering techniques can help to guarantee the health and beauty of your lawn. A lawn benefits most when it receives 1 to 1.5 inches of water, all in one application, as opposed to smaller waterings multiple times a week.
It is also best to water in the early morning, before 10 a.m. to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation and maximize the amount of water absorbed by grass roots. Water will evaporate four to eight times faster in the afternoon, as opposed to early morning.
Water conservation benefits not only the environment, but adherence to the CPWA’s lawn watering restrictions can ensure that we all have a continuous source of water for domestic use, while still providing adequate nourishment for lawns and gardens to thrive.